Here at MossBrooks, our conviction is that unparalleled pizza begins with unparalleled dough. Years, over thirty in fact, were dedicated to honing our mixture, and now, we're thrilled to divulge a few of our crafty insights. Granted, we can't spill all the details of our proprietary mix (some legacies must be preserved), yet these fundamentals will empower you to replicate pizzeria-grade pizza dough inside your abode.
Choice of Flour Is Key
The bedrock of divine pizza dough is premium-grade flour. We advocate for 00 flour, an ultra-fine milled Italian flour, middling in protein around the 12% mark, which fosters an exquisite meld of robustness and delicacy. In the absence of 00 flour, bread flour can fill the gap, though it yields a subtly altered texture.
Adjusting Water Temperature and Dough Moisture
The warmth of the water can either slow or speed up fermentation and the maturation of your dough. Opt for frigid water near 45°F (7°C) to slow ferment (which bolsters the taste), or tepid water close to 85°F (29°C) to hasten it. To fit most household ovens, the dough's moisture content, the water to flour ratio, ought to be from 60% to 70%.
Less Yeast, More Patience
What truly brings out the flavor in dough is a scant amount of yeast coupled with prolonged fermentation. A mere 0.2% fresh yeast compared to the weight of the flour is what we use for dough that ferments anywhere between 24 and 48 hours. This drawn-out interval permits a complexity of flavors to emerge and results in easier to digest dough.
Salt's Role Beyond Taste
Salt's function transcends that of mere taste—it fortifies the gluten framework and modulates fermentation. Fine sea salt at the rate of 2.5-3% of your flour's weight is our suggestion. Insert it post the initial flour and water amalgamation to sidestep a direct encounter with yeast.
The Science of Fermentation
Post-mixing, leave your dough to expand in bulk at an ambient temperature for a span of 2 hours, followed by division into singular dough sections. Encase these in lidded vessels and refrigerate from 24-72 hours. During the chill fermentation, an enchanting transformation occurs - enzymes decompose starches into sugars, which bestows flavor and the glorious golden hue seen on our crusts.
Gentle is the Touch
When pizza crafting time arrives, take the dough out from cold storage one to two hours ahead of baking to reach room warmth. A gentle manner will preserve the developed gas pockets. Rather than a rolling pin, employ your finger pads to depress and extend the dough, keeping the bubbles intact.
A Touch of Fervent Heat
Our wood-fired ovens ignite to a sizzling 850°F (454°C), but conventional home ovens usually tap out at 550°F (288°C). Compensate by preheating a pizza stone or steel for no less than a full hour. Such delivers that vital searing base heat required for a crust crispy on the outside, and buoyant inside.
The art of pizza dough perfection is ongoing. Every attempt teaches more about the technique. Jot down observations, tweak the variables, and unearth the approach that flourishes in the climate of your kitchen.
For a firsthand glimpse into our process of shaping dough, join our workshop held each month where Chef Giovanni walks through these tactics in greater detail. For upcoming sessions, keep an eye on our event schedule!